Brazil

In this surrealistic nightmare vision of a "perfect" future where technology reigns supreme, a daydreaming bureaucrat who is involved with an underground superhero and a beautiful mysterious woman becomes the tragic victim of his own romantic illusions. This is the original 142 minute director's cut edition of the film assembled from both the European and American versions.

Comment

WARNING! At least in the Tulsa Public Library, the comments for the Terry Gilliam movie, "Brazil," and the Michael Palin travelogue, "Brazil," all appear in the entries for both movies. Maybe it's because Michael Palin is in both of them. But, they are two different DVDs.

Having said that, I tell you flatly that Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" is one of the ten best movies ever made. And definitely the finest science fiction movie ever made. It's brilliant beyond the meaning of the word, and I guarantee you have never seen anything like it. It will make you think, and that might hurt a little, but it's good for you in the long run.

Yes, this nutty film from the nutty Terry Gilliam will always endure as a cult film, but if Gilliam didn't let his ego get the better of him, then this could have been a big hit back in 1985 but of course that never happened.

Sure this film has great acting set in a dystopic world where government rules with an iron fist and a desperate everyman wanting out.

Yes. "Brazil" is a pretty nutty movie. But, all the same - It's an amazing journey into a nightmare world of the future where everything is a literal technological mess.

For a film from as far back as 1985 - Brazil's brilliant, over-the-top visuals are really what keeps this film's head above water for its 2.5-hour running time.

This film was directed by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python's fame and everything about this film has that sort of zany, off-the-wall craziness about it that'll surely keep you joyfully entertained from start to finish.

Directed by Terry Gilliam in 1985, this British-American dystopian SF drama depicts the life of Sam Lowry, a man trying to find a woman who appears in his dreams while he works in a mind-numbing job and living in a small apartment, set in a consumer-driven dystopian world that depends on poorly and whimsically maintained machines.
The bureaucratic, totalitarian government in the film seems like the one depicted in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, except that it has a buffoonish, slapstick quality and lacks a Big Brother figure.
Unlike George Orwell's 1984, however, this film definitely makes you laugh your head off to death.

You know, I was certainly hoping that this 3.5-hour "Brazil" documentary was going to offer me a satisfactory balance between a look at civilization and a look at the awesome, natural beauty of this massive, South American country.

But, no - Unfortunately, the natural beauty and wonders of Brazil were pretty much completely ignored here. Yep. They sure were.

And, that - IMO - Lost this rather lengthy presentation some very serious points as my initial interest quickly began to wane (with what I was being shown) long before this disappointing tour of Brazil was even half-complete.

This off-the-wall, cinematic roller-coaster ride into a retro-future is, without question, all about a "world-gone-mad" where endless bureaucracy has, literally, buried man, neck-deep, in a technological mess.

The hilariously convoluted script of "Brazil" was clearly written (back in 1985) with some surprising foresight - As its story still retains its relevancy in these times of technological over-load that we find ourselves living in at present.

Visually quite impressive - "Brazil" may not appeal to everyone's tastes - But, if nothing else - It is certainly a very unique movie-experience that is bound to draw the viewer into its nightmare world in no time flat.

Romantic, comedic, a phantasy unloosened! There numerous ideas and phrases that populate this dystopia: terrorism, Christians for capitalism, walking through walls, "value for money", "information retrieval", Top Security Holidays, Luxury Without Fear, fun without suspicion, "Consumers for Christ", "who can you trust?", "Suspicion Breeds Confidence" (this could be the motto for the CIA, NSA, and any other security organization). The whole film is prescient. In the end the secret hero, Harry Tuttle (played by R. DeNiro), literally disappears in the paperwork.

A beautiful romantic story in which a young proffessional finds his way in a thriving capital society. With a strong appreciation for success this film is a model for the do's and dont's when entering the business world AKA the fast lane

Summary

Brazil is a surrealistic nightmare vision of a " perfect " future where technology reigns supreme. Everyone is monitored by a secret government agency that forbids love to interfere with efficiency. A daydreaming bureaucrat becomes a victim of his own romantic illusions and the results become a humorous ,yet foreboding statement.